PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 22, was confident that there is no corruption in the entry of the country's third telecommunications player Dito Telecommunity Corporation, formerly known as Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company (Mislatel) consortium.
In his State of the Nation Address, the President reiterated that the entry of the new telecommunications player will break the existing duopoly of PLDT/Smart and Globe Telecom.
"We also paved the way for the entry of third telecommunications provider. Do not worry about this. There is no corruption at all. I guarantee you," Duterte said.
"I do not talk to them. I just say, do your work, and kung maaari (and if possible), according to what the specifications are required by this government," he added.
Dito, a consortium of Dennis Uy's Udenna Corporation and subsidiary Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corporation with China Telecommunications Corporation, secured the slot for the country's third telecommunications player after a bidding conducted by the National Telecommunications Commission in November 2018.
The NTC issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, or permit to operate, to the consortium on July 8.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology earlier said Dito may start accepting subscribers by the fourth quarter of 2019.
Dito has said in a statement that it intends to implement a pilot user program towards the end of 2019.
Dito spokesperson Adel Tamano said the telecommunications firm would begin its commercial operations in the second quarter of 2020.
Duterte expressed optimism that Dito would offer better and reliable telecommunications services to the Filipino people.
"I challenge this new player to fulfill its commitment to provide fast and reliable telecommunications services to our people, especially in the underserved areas," the President said. (SunStar Philippines)